Fluid-pressure press



May 12; 1925. I 1,537,753

- J. M. F. CRAVEN FLUID PRESSURE PRESS Filed April 13, 1925 F091. d f a Fay- Patented May 12, 1925.

UNITED STATES:

J'OHN MAURICE FROST CRAVEN, OF SHEFFI EELD, ENGLAND.

FLUID-PRESSURE PRESS.

Application'filed. April 13, 1923.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN MAURIoEFRosr CRAVEN, formerly of 28 Nelson Street, Rotherham, but now of 121 Grove Road, Millhouses, Sheffield, both in the county of York, England, a subject of the King of Great Britain and Ireland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in and Relating to F luid-Press'ure Presses, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide a power press capableof exerting its effort at the same or at diflerent areas, parts or surfaces of the article subject to its operation.

To this end, the preferred form of press comprises a plurality of rams assembled as a unit about a common centre, with each ram adapted relatively to the preceding one to also constitute a cylinder therefor, and with all the rams operable individually, successively or collectively.

Each ram serving as a cylinder is provided with means for the controlled inlet and outletof the pressure-fluid.

Such a press is adapt-able to very varied use and application, in connection with which the rams are or may be associated with sundry complementary members or tools for attaining any destined result. or they themselves are or may be adapted to constitute such members or tools wholly, or as adjuncts thereto.

I will now fully describe my invention with reference to the accompanying drawings which illustrate, by way of example, and more or less diagrammatically, one form of hydraulic press capable of use in forming articles from metal blanks, and of which Fig. 1 is a fragmentary central vertical section representing a unit consisting of four rams in the inoperative position, and adapt ed for use with separate or detached members or tools designed to be suitably associated;

Fig. 2 is a like view showing two rams in the operative position; and

Fig. 3 is a view corresponding to Fig. 1, and representing the operative faces of the rams fashionedto collectively constitute a complete die for co-operating with the complementary die which is indicated by the dot-and-dash lines in this figure.

Referring to these drawings, a is a frame supporting a cylinder 6 which encloses the ram unit. This unit consists of four rams Serial No. 631,865.

0, (Z, c and f concentrically assembled, and constructed so that the rams c, d, and a function dually, inasmuch as they, besides acting as rams proper, constitute cylinders to the respective rams cl, 6 and f, the cylinder 6 cooperating with the ram 0.

The bottom of each cylinder 7), c, (i and e is provided with a port 9, h, z' and 7' respectively for the inlet and outlet of the water under the control of a valve. This valve is exemplified as a tubular member 7a which is connected with the accumulator or other source of supply, and is associated with mechanism operating to insert it into, or withdraw it from, the ports 9, 7L, 2' and j. Thus, for instance,referring to Fig. 1, on the water being admitted to the cylinder 6 by the valve 70 and port j the ram is forced outwards to assume the position shown in Fig. 2, whilst'on withdrawing the valve so as tocommunicate with the cylinder (1 by the port 2' the ram e is similarly operated. On correspondingly withdrawing the valve Z" the rams d and c are successively operated. Alternatively, referring again to Fig. 1, on appropriately operating the valve k to establish communication with the cylinder 7) the rams are moved outwards together collectively or. as a unitgand, similarly, by con necting the cylinder 03 to the source of sup ply the rams e and f are moved together or as one. .Consequently, it willbe evident that on the suitable operation of the valve In, the rams c, d, e and 7 may be moved indi vidually, successively or collectively according to desire. I

It will be understood that after each ram or cylinder is operated to bring its shapeforming face, or the forming face of the tool it may carry, into the position where it has acted on and shaped its area of theblank under treatment, pressure is retained on it and its area whilst further areas are being pressed. This is important in that it maintains each area in its then state of formation; and also maintains the metal of the blank in its then position and mass to which it has been driven by this treatment of such area, whereby the mass is readily treated to form the next area without disturbing the area of areas already treated.

It should further be understood that in practice the valve 70 is so quickly adjusted to introduce the pressure medium into the several cylinders successively that the latter may follow one another in rapid succession.

, 3,'the production of a railway Wheel or a wheel centre direct from a blank, the blank being shaped from the centre outwards or as desired.

A press may comprise more than one ram unit; for example, a pair of units may be arranged opposite one another.

It will now be understood and appreciated that that branch of my invention comprised of the mechanical apparatus consists essentially of a plurality of forming rams each acting on a prescribed area of the blank to be converted into an article, and that by reason of their co-relation with the fluid pressure controlling devices they are made operable to exert their forming-pressure on their respective areas of the blank, each forming ram individually, one in succession, to the other or others, or all collectively, so that the total pressure required to reduce the blank to the finished product may be divided and exerted one effort at a time to cause one ram to treat one area of the blank, or the efforts be exerted in succession more or less quickly one after another on the respective rams; or, in some cases allthe efi'orts be exerted at one time to make all the rams active-at once each on its area in reducing the blank to the intended product. Such is the modus operandi of my invention.

I regard myself as the first to provide or invent an apparatus by which blanks that are to be converted into finished products are treated to forming-pressures applied in different areas of the blank; and consequently likewise the first to apply these forn'iing-pressures on the different areas, one area at a time, or on all the areas in What may be called quick succession, or on all of the separate areas collectively.

hat I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. A press comprising, in combination, a cylinder, a plurality of rams assembled as a unit in said cylinder, each succeeding ram also forming the cylinder for the one preceding it, a port in said cylinder and also in each ram serving as a cylinder, and a valve consisting of a tubular member communicating with the source of supply and adapted to be moved to establish the com-v munication with any desired cylinder.

2. A press comprising, in combination, a cylinder, a plurality of rams assembled as a unit in said cylinder, each succeeding ram also forming the cylinder for the one preceding it, a port in said cylinder and also in,

each ram serving as a cylinder, and a valve consisting of a tubular member communieating with the source of supply and adapted to be moved to establish the communication with any desired cylinder, and members associated with said rams for working articles from blanks by spreading operation.

3. A press comprising, in combination, a cylinder, a plurality of rams assembled as a unit in said cylinder, each succeeding ram also forming the cylinder for the one preceding it, a port in said cylinder and also in each ram serving as a cylinder, and a valve consisting of a tubular member communicating with the source of supply and adapted to be moved to establish the communication with any desired cylinder, and dies associated with said rams for progressively shaping articles from blanks, parts of said dies being directly formed by said rams.

In testimony whereof, I afiix my signature.

JOHN MAURICE FROST CRAVEN. 

